1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel complexes of triarylboranes and, more particularly, to a nickel cyanide triphenylborane complex. The complex may be reacted to produce an adduct of triphenylborane which may be subsequently converted to the free borone which is used as a catalyst promoter in the hydrocyanation of butadiene.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The preparation of a compound postulated to be the sodium cyanide adduct of triphenylborane having a formula [.phi..sub.3 (CN)B]Na was reported by G. Wittig et al [Ann. Chem., 573, 195 (1951)]. This article also disclosed the production of triphenylborane by thermally decomposing a mixture of compounds of the formula (CH.sub.3).sub.3 NH+B(C.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.4.sup.- as well as the preparation of the sodium hydroxide salt of triphenylborane by fusing of the borane with sodium hydroxide and the reaction of that salt with ammonium chloride or hydroxide to yield the ammonia adduct of triphenylborane. This adduct was reacted with dry hydrochloric acid in the presence of ether by Mikhailov et al. [Izvest. Akad Nauk S.S.S.R., Otdel. Kimm. Nauk, 812 (1957)] to produce triphenylborane and ammonium chloride. Production of complex salts of boranes, for example, the reaction of (C.sub.6 H.sub.5).sub.3 BNH.sub.3 with quarternary ammonium fluoride and hydroxide salts in the presence of ethanol to produce complex salts is disclosed by D. L. Fowler and C. A. Krauss, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 62, 1143 (1940).